Hyderabad: India aims to increase maize production to 75 million tonnes over the next decade from the current 55 million tonnes, driven by technological innovations, improved crop management and efficient resource use, ICAR director general ML Jat said on Monday.Addressing the inaugural session of the International Maize Conference 2026 in Hyderabad, Jat said maize productivity had improved significantly over the past decade, but further gains were needed through research, agricultural extension and better crop management to bridge yield gaps and improve farm profitability.The three-day conference, being held at JD Convention Centre from Nov 2 to 4, brings together scientists, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss maize research, productivity and value chains.Jat called for expanding the traditional four-F approach — food, feed, fodder and fuel — into a five-F model by placing farmers at its centre. Research must translate into higher incomes and better livelihoods, he said. He also stressed the need to expand maize cultivation across seasons and agro-climatic zones without affecting oilseeds and pulses, besides ensuring affordable quality seeds, particularly public-sector hybrids.ICAR deputy director general (Crop Science) D K Yadav said 329 maize hybrids had been developed in the past five years. He called for strengthening the All India Coordinated Research Project on Maize and developing high-yielding varieties with better nutritional quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.Yadav also highlighted maize’s potential as an ethanol feedstock and stressed mechanisation, efficient input use and stronger public-sector seed production.Padma Shri awardee and World Food Prize laureate S Vasal advocated simple, low-cost methods to develop improved varieties and hybrids suited to farmers’ needs. Former ICAR director general R S Paroda stressed aligning research priorities with changing agricultural requirements.
